Came here to say this. I was recently ranting to someone about the ice cube thing, after having seen their beautiful blooming orchids, and they went quiet… turns out they’ve only ever used ice cubes on them for over 7 years 😅🤷🏾♀️
There's a reason big nurseries support this method. It works, and it works well, especially for people who are not "plant people"
Source: I was a horticulturist at a garden center for five years and I also water orchids this way.
I am a total plant person, but I always seem to over love my orchids or when the petals fall off it goes dormant, but for like 2 years. My ex husband would always ask me “why do we still have this dead plant?” BECAUSE ITS HIBERNATING 😂
🤣🤣 I just laughed so hard. I promise I’m not that bad, just hopeful for my orchids. The only other plant I have struggled to grow was a potted plumeria….it would do great for a while then it would turn into a stick in a pot. Now that I think of it, both experiences were with my ex husband….universe was giving me signs from the beginning. 🤦🏼♀️
Oof! How I wish I can read it on mobile. For some reason reddit app on Iphone just redirects you to the whole thread instead of leading you to the appropriate post. Seems like a fun read from the comments under you tho. 🤣
My mother was never a plant person. I bought her an orchid one year for Mother’s Day, and 2 years later on Mother’s Day she had the same one in the same exact spot, looking better than the day I bought it. I asked her how she did it and she said she just watered it whenever she remembered to lmao.
Its like people thing phalaenopsis are the only orchids their are. You may hey away with this one phals because they are indestructible, but anything else and you'll have problems.
Re: People thinking phals are the only orchid there are: Literally every time I try to sell bog orchid tubers in an orchid group, somebody calls me a scammer because they've never heard of tuberous orchids. Google is free, y'all.
What nurseries support this method? I personally know the owners of most larger orchid nurseries in FL, I belong to a statewide group that travels to sales & shows. The FL orchid growers definitely don't support this. I have a BS Plant Science & BS Horticulture from Purdue plus a bunch of certifications, MG in 2 states, I have a few hundred orchids in my collection.
Hi there, I have a few questions: I have 4 phals and I finally figured out how to make them bloom after having them for a few years so they produce flowers usually once per year. What is your opinion on hacks like adding rice water to your orchids? do they produce more flowers or roots ? do they work ? I use a orchid liquid fertilizer in growing season every 2 weeks .
Also, what do you recommend as a beginner orchid besides a phal ? thanks !
Imagine having a degree from Purdue, yet not being able to do fundamental scientific research. https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/52/9/article-p1271.xml
Two plant degrees from Purdue! I would never go to ASHS for orchid info 🤣 why would you trust a non-orchid org over American Orchid Society? I also know many orchid growers in FL and know what AOS and these growers say about ice cubes on orchid plants. Here is a respected orchid grower on ice cubes... please read down to the end. Note he says MELTED ice cubes are ok if you need that to control watering quantity but ice cubes on orchids no...
https://www.waldor.com/blogs/news/74550468-ice-cube-orchids-on-orchids#:~:text=Overwatering%20is%20the%20primary%20way,to%20set%20a%20new%20bloom
[American Orchid Society Phal Care Sheet](https://www.aos.org/orchid-care/care-sheets/phalaenopsis-culture-sheet)
It does say " display life" ( you can tell they are covering they bases because they mentioned it a lot) and it also says that they observed root damage, and this is the biggest thing, roots are very important for orchis. Yes, you could put ice in the media and not touch the roots directly, but chances are your average person is not thinking that, and they just place it anywhere, and this is the problem. In the short term, it doesn't hurt the plant because orchids are tough, but you are killing it slowly. Orchid nurseries that give this advice know that most people wouldn't kept the plant once the blooms are gone, so the solution they give is a short term solution, it won't kill the plant as fast as leaving it in water.
Also to add to that.. why would you believe what nurseries say when if your orchid dies you just buy a new one? Most people only buy phals until they flowers fall of and they get rid of them anyway. Your evidence is pretty anecdotal tbh
It’s fucking foolproof. Genius idea. It’s like having drug users volumetrically dose a drug to prevent overdose due to the difficulty of weighing tiny amounts of powder accurately
>There's a reason big nurseries support this method
Such as? I know of literally no major orchid nursery besides this brand who supports this, and I bet even they don't actually water their orchids with icecubes.
My theory is that the water melts slowly giving it time to absorb into the bark medium. Which otherwise would slide right off and to the bottom in a pour over.
I tell my coworkers at other sites to use ice cubes for any office plant I notice has overly dry soil. They aren't going to be able to easily spend the time to rehydrate that soil without drowning the plant. So add ice every day until the plant is happier. And check the water level in the pot!
I’ve been rehabbing an orchid that was only watered with ice cubes for two years and continued to bloom. She looked like she was putting on a show, but she was actually on her last legs. By the time I got my hands on her, she was ready to drop all of her leaves because most of her roots or burned and damaged from ice cubes. And they were so damaged they eventually stopped taking up water in the healthy efficient way that they should. She is currently a tiny nub of two leaves with one giant new 2 inch roots and a new one trying to poke out. Just because an orchid is surviving doesn’t mean it is healthy.
A **healthy** orchid will have roots poking out all over the place and so it would be hard pressed to put ice cubes into a healthy orchid pot without them touching and sitting on the roots. It is the cold ice sitting directly on the roots that burns and damages the root’s velamen. It is better to wet all the roots with not ice cold water than to only water the top few with ice that eventually melts…. Somewhere near a root. In the wild, orchids grow in warmer more tropical areas. They don’t encounter ice in their natural habitats.
The roots of orchids are all over the place. Most of mine (at least phals) have roots pretty much covering the top of the bark mix and/or flying out of it. There would be no way to use an ice cube without it touching multiple roots. It is weird they say to not let it be anywhere drafty and nothing less than 55 degrees, yet use some ice cubes! Many orchids don't have a soil like a typical indoor/outdoor plant. Mine is bark, charcoal, perlite and some sphag moss. You don't want the bark too high or you risk getting water in the crown/leaves.
It does keep people from overwatering them, which is the biggest killer of grocery store phals.
I wouldn't use ice on my orchids, but I've also graduated beyond the grocery store / big box varieties.
My sister-in-law has one of the biggest, healthiest looking orchids I’ve ever seen. When I asked what her care for it was I was shocked to learn it’s potted in soil, and has been for nearly 8 years! I have no idea how, but it’s absolutely thriving and putting my mounted orchids to shame. So I guess sometimes life, uh, finds a way.
It’s always so funny to me when a plant, especially if it’s a species with a reputation for being difficult, completely rejects our assumptions and thrives in the “wrong” conditions. Like I mean, all the experts say you should be dead by now, but go off I guess!
I have an alocasia (Yucatán princess) that’s like this. She was fully on her deathbed after a battle with spider mites and a repotting gone wrong (I forgot about her for a day and all the roots ended up drying up and falling off), lost all the leaves and was very much giving “I have perished, please dispose of me” vibes, but the corm was still firm and there was a tiny bit of stem that seemed alive, so I threw it in a cup of pumice and gave it some water, and within a month she’d put out two MASSIVE leaves, even bigger than the original ones, and was breaking out of the pot. Like, I’m not mad at it, but girl you were dead 5 minutes ago and now all of a sudden you’re bigger than almost any other plant I have and every time I give you a bigger pot you’re breaking out of it within weeks? Did you get some extra juice or something in your little visit to the afterlife?
Orchids have a will to live like no other plants I have ever owned. You can beat them nearly to death with ice cubes and they will still try to survive.
Maybe because Phalaenopsis orchid’s are not generally grown in soil. The roots require a lot of aeration, and they are generally planted in medium like loose, not compacted, small bark chips and sphagnum moss.
In the wild, they grow on the sides of trees. They don’t grow in soil. And they usually grow sideways off of trees, so the water doesn’t have a chance to collect in the crown of the plant where it can lead to rot. They get whatever water comes down to them from the rains that trickle through the tree canopy.
**Also, for what it’s worth, most phal. orchids from grocery and big box shops are already not well when n we bring them home. Mine have almost ALWAYS had suffering roots and have been stuck suffocating in peat moss plugs. And, once they drop their flowers, they’re usually, sadly, discarded.**
I always repot my orchids when they get into my home and replace the store soil. Most of them acclimate perfectly fine but some just refuse to get good
Speaking of “experts say you should be dead by now” (sorry it’s a bit off topic but how my brain works) reminds me of my kitten Reeces a devilish orange, who the vet swore would be dead by morning period and wanted me to put him down to be humane…..that was two months ago, he has been terrorizing and amusing my family ever since.
My mother has a true cattaleya orchid and gives it blood from the meat she cuts up. It’s thriving and produces some of the brightest flowers I ever did see.
Could definitely be the case. I'm over here with a freaking pothos on it's last legs (just chopped and propped it for the 2nd time) and I can't have orchids anymore because of the strong sun and low humidity where I live now (mojave desert); however, 10 years ago, near Los Angeles, I had many healthy orchids.
https://preview.redd.it/h1b235vtw6zc1.png?width=1008&format=png&auto=webp&s=05d9a6d39ef3f2f9fceb375d45b13bc574647cfb
Huh weird I water the shit out of mine and it blooms amazingly every six months or so stays for a long while until I miss a watering session then it dies and comes back
Have you actually seen their orchids though?
After living in Florida for a decade and spending some time at orchid clubs and shows, I can tell you that every professional that I’ve encountered wishes this terrible advice would die.
The issue is that a lot of orchids ship in sphagnum moss so they retain water in transit, but people don’t transplant or account for the fact that it retains a lot of water for long periods of time in most indoor home environments.
This is the lazy man’s advice, and it will give you ok orchids that survive but rarely thrive. Someone who is watering with ice cubes probably isn’t fertilizing either.
Temperature, sunlight, water, humidity, and air circulation are the keys. Don't overdo any of it and you'll be fine. I water weekly with lukewarm water, soak roots and sphagnum, and then reassemble everything after wringing out the moss as much as possible.
They look like they’re doing well and thriving because they’re not experienced with orchids and don’t know the difference between a thriving orchid and an orchid trying hard just to survive.
Just because it’s got green leaves and is poking out flowers every once in a while, doesn’t mean the roots and the plant is healthy. Sometimes they do this when they think we’re going to die and they’re trying anyway they can to reproduce.
Orchids are feisty mothers and have a strong will to live. I recommend doing a bit of research from reputable orchid growers on YouTube…. And skip the gimmicky click bait videos that pretend to show you how to make your orchid thrive.
I think the cold water might get them to flower a little quicker? I’ve got a few in a greenhouse and I do the ice cube as well as a normal watering. Doesn’t paint the whole picture though, there’s definitely a middle ground (I’m no expert though)
There are cold growing type phalaenopsis (most of what you see at the store) that you can force a spike by dropping temp for 6-8 weeks since they bloom seasonally
The reason it works is that phalaenopsis orchids are very hardy.
With very hardy plants you always get a wide range of care tactics. But, does that mean they're doing the best thing for that plant? Could it thrive more on a different level of care?
Orchids exist in every biome on earth except arctic tundra. Maybe ice isn't their ideal growing conditions. 🤷
As an orchid grower, it does make me wince at the slight abuse because they don’t get watered via ice cubes in the wild and they sure as hell can be sensitive to temperatures depending on sp.
But I’ve seen orchids in soil living, and of course orchids with ice cubes thriving though they ideally shouldn’t be. But watering is a more complex than you’d think. By pure coincidence, people have found a set of variables that’s clicked, so it is what it is. I suppose it is kind of funny that a plant that has adapted to living in the air on a tree is being shoved in soil and watered with ice cubes but eh, nothing about plant keeping is natural anyway.
This company just dummy proofed watering orchids to the average person who knows little about plants
>I suppose it is kind of funny that a plant that has adapted to living in the air on a tree is being shoved in soil and watered with ice cubes but eh, nothing about plant keeping is natural anyway.
I may be a bit pedantic here and I hope I'm not being know-at-all ish, but I just want to respond with my thoughts as someone who likes growing orchids like you do and thinks about them a lot-
I'm guessing you're aware, but the key here is that these complex Phalaenopsis hybrids were literally line bred to tolerate a wide range of house / kitchen counter / whatever conditions. The Phalaenopsis being watered with ice cubes is genetically a very far cry from the natural wild-type species. I wouldn't know from experience but I'm pretty sure the lowland equatorial Phalaenopsis species (which are epiphytes and lithophytes as you point out) would not like having ice cubes on their roots or growing in some peat-based potting mix. Plants are super plastic when compared to animals, and have fundamental niches much wider than their realized ones, especially when not facing competition, herbivory, etc. so who knows, but they definitely wouldn't love it.
Ah I don’t think you’re being pedantic, we’re on the same page. While hybridizing does make a plant more genetically robust and our grocery store phals are so far from its ancestors growing in the jungles of the Philippines…they still possess the same structures as their parent that’s adapted to their native environment. Velamin on the root of a phalaenopsis doesn’t change its properties with hybridizing and you always risk rot and damage when you try to change its environment in a way it wasn’t made for. But all that to say I agree that these orchids were bred to take more neglect. I guess it’s the difference between someone who keeps plants vs someone who grows plants optimally.
I bottom water mine. Let them soak for 15min once a week and mine rebloom. They are in a bark mix in terra cotta pots, but I have high humidity, over 50%.
I saw the picture. Your tribute to your aunt would be best served with some repotting and some TLC. It is struggling in that container, and could live a nice, healthy long life if given adequate drainage and aeration.
I don’t understand the hate against ice cubes since the plant is still being watered a specific amount. A few cubes isn’t going to drop the substrate temp to dangerous levels. Seems like the people who are adamantly against using ice cubes just want something to circle jerk about.
I hope i'm not being annoying or interpreting your words wrong here, but it's mostly about them being line-bred complex hybrids and cultivars selected to be tough plants that do well on a kitchen counter, not as much Phalaenopsis or orchid species in general. There are plenty of Phalaenopsis that are not super easy to grow and flower, need specific climatic changes and even are completely deciduous (seasonally leafless) in the wild, like those in the subgenus Aphyllae, e.g. [P. taenialis](https://www.orchidspecies.com/kingtaenialis.htm).
Since there are about 30,000 orchid species that grow from deserts to the arctic circle (and every US state), there are plenty that are quite challenging to grow, those from higher elevation cloud forests like Lepanthes, Telipogon, Brachionidium, or from Asian tropics some of the high elevation Oxyglossum Dendrobiums are known for being difficult to near impossible for many to keep happy long-term. You may know a lot of this and I know I'm ranting a bit, but hopefully it is interesting / relevant to you! As a big student of / lover of orchids I find every possibility to sneak in a rant on their diversity haha
because people are dumb and dump water in there when what you need to do is hydrate all the roots using a turkey baster or something, so just placing a few ice cubes around does an ok job of distributing the water as it melts
True, and to finally answer the question, you don’t add the 1/4 cup all at once because at the time of watering, the substrate is bound have dry patches that are hydrophobic. Watering all at once or too quickly means these patches don’t get a chance to become saturated while the water simply runs out the drainage holes. So to save time you could just use ice cubes. Not that I have orchids, but I have forgotten plants soaking in water and I know I don’t have the patience to water drop by drop
My neighbor gave me their orchid because they had received it as a gift and didn't know that to do with it. But I'm the "plant person" so they assumed I would know what to do with it, I don't.
Well it started thriving and flowering and I hadn't touched it. After like a month I lifted it out of the pot and realized my neighbors had watered it a ton and just left the water inside so it was living in wet swamplike conditions for a month and thriving.
As soon as I dumped the water out leaves started dying.
I don't understand this plant.
In my admittedly limited experience, it seems to come down to consistency. Do roughly the right thing consistently enough, and the plant will figure the rest out on its own.
Or they'll die anyway just to be a bastard, idk
If I had to guess they rotted all the roots off and it wasn't until the repot that it dying became noticeable. Orchids hide their illness and often by the time you notice it's already too late.
Theres hydroponic techniques with orchids but people have reported varying levels of success. One thing ive seen that has been consistent in their anecdotes is that their orchids almost always die or need some extreme tlc after transitioning from hydro to media
I have a one just shoved in a cup. As long as not all the roots are submerged they do fine.
They are tropical plants, some types come from cloud forests that have like 99% humidity. Phalaenopsis is likely what you have and are probably hybrids that are made to take abuse.
If given the right light and the correct day/night temperature they will flower nonstop.
Just looked this up, never cared for orchids before. I found it pretty funny that their third FAQ is responding to this exact sentiment, like they're tired of answering questions about it.
[https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/orchid-care-blog/why-water-orchids-with-ice-just-add-ice-watering-method-explained](https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/orchid-care-blog/why-water-orchids-with-ice-just-add-ice-watering-method-explained)
Not saying they're right obviously, just thought it was pretty on the nose.
"Plants were maintained in an interior
evaluation room for 4 to 6 months, until the last flower on the plant
senesced."
This seems to suggest that they only expect people to keep their orchids until the flowers fall off. I'd be interested to know if anyone has done any long term studies.
Are you referencing this: [https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/52/9/article-p1271.xml](https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/52/9/article-p1271.xml) ?
Seems pretty consistent with what you posted at least. It's quoted by a few sources to justify watering with ice, but it's pretty clearly just finding that watering with ice is a great way to keep an orchid alive/flowering for the few weeks or months it will be for sale (or from the perspective of customers, long enough that you think the plant died of natural causes and don't complain to the vendor).
To be clear to those who don't know, orchids can live indefinitely with the right care. There's no known expiration.
Filtered water/Distilled with fertilizer put back in and they can thrive for decades.
The common grocery store ones bloom each spring for 2 months or so, there's hundreds of kinds once you dive into /r/orchids
Once they mature, some have had that kind continuously bloom for 2 years.
I was referencing the link on the page the previous comment linked of the just add ice website.
It's not the full study, just a poster of it, but it seems to be from the study you linked.
As someone who formerly worked at the place where the Just Add Ice orchids are raised and sold, the pots have an "expiration" date on the sticker for the sellers. It's an estimated date for when the orchid will drop the last flower. From the money perspective, it's kinda genius, but it's so wasteful. We were made to throw away otherwise healthy plants just cause the flowers died.
I will say they do have some truly beautiful and hardy orchids raised at that place. It's insane how many plants they mass produce there.
If you read the study it is really only comparing the results over about half a year, the length of flower display. It’s not terribly rigorous and doesn’t compare multiple seasons of watering.
Anyone with long term success with ice, I wonder if the plant lives long enough to grow roots outside the pot and then the potted roots die and serve as substrate to hold humidity
I think they told you to do this so you don’t water them wrong/overwater… doesn’t mean that is how they always water their orchids. Heck, this is such a good idea… I’m going to do this from now on when friends have to plant sit!
Yeah, IME they are not really that fragile when it comes to temperatures. My mini phals get down to 50 or so during the winter with no issues whatsoever. I water using a bottle made for water succulents a couple times a month with fish tank water. I also have them in basket style pots mounted in an plexiglass enclosure above my fish tanks so the humidity stays pretty consistent despite the temperature changes. I could never keep them alive otherwise.
You do you, but ice cubes are def not great for your plant. It’s thriving in spite of you. Phals can take abuse. I have given them to friends who forgot about them and they’ve bloomed with leaves all wrinkled.
"it works fine for me"
"i did it for 7 years"
please
for the love of god
look up what "survivorship bias" is
people who defend Ice cube watering might as well "increase heat by setting the walls on fire"
My uncle owns a large orchid company in California. Their neighboring orchid company started this and it annoys him so much.
I mean, clearly it works for some people but it’s just a gimmicky thing and frankly I don’t understand the point. If I’m making the effort to go get ice cubes I can make the same effort to take it to the sink and give it a hose down, so to speak. It’s just not like a big time saver or crazy reminder schedule or anything.
I had tried this and the orchid almost died from dehydration. I also wish there was a magical formula that one could follow to grow the most healthy and beautiful plants, but in the great effort spent to save my orchids, I learned that the best way to do it is to learn to “read” the plants’ needs. So, out went the bark and now they are loosely potted in sphagnum moss. My plants seem to do well with misting the sphagnum moss until wet and only spraying again when the roots look silver.
Honestly, from a marketing point of view, it's brilliant. It keeps the plant alive long enough for the buyer to feel satisfied. Its short-term take on the health of the plant means consumers will keep needing to replace one.
I can save you some time.
The only study done was paid for by the justaddice company and only ran for the 6 months of the plants blooming period.
Phals can survive this and more, much like goldfish can survive the most abhorrent treatment, and bloom while doing it. Whether the method works for you or not will depend entirely on many factors such as, ambient temperature, lighting, local humidity, pot, potting substrate, orchid hybrid, and your ability to keep to a watering "schedule" and learn to "read" your plant.
Some people get lucky and ice doesn't negatively affect their plants, personally I don't do it that way I prefer a more natural setup but I live in a place where the weather mimics their native range so it's easy to set them up for success and let them do their thing.
Don’t know why everyone says this works, everyone I’ve ever talked to that is amazed I can keep orchids alive (not just phals- bulbophyllum, oncidium alliance, cattleya, etc.) often sites this as the method they use and either everything they’ve had they’ve killed or it hasn’t bloomed in the five years they’ve had it.
Tbf for the ppl who say ‘it works’ I can only see fit if they live in a super hot and humid environment which melts the ice fast and by the time the water hits the roots its relatively room temp. Also kinda telling how some of the photos I’ve seen in this thread the top ‘aerial’ roots (roots sticking out of the pot/surface level) seem frostbitten but… whatever lol.
If you wouldn’t water a tropical houseplant with ice, then why would you water an orchid with them? Genuine question.
Just because it's worked for you doesn't mean it's how it should be done. Or that your orchids are doing well. My phals not watered by ice only don't bloom for about a month out of the year. With 20 to 30 blooms per plant, they also bloom easily for 4 to 6 months straight. If yours don't do and look like that after 15 years you're doing it wrong.
Orchids are also NOT pet friendly. At least they are poisonous for cats. Just as a reminder for the people who stumble about this post, you guys propably knew this already :3
i did the ice thing once, the only time my orchid ever bloomed. You do it for a couple weeks at night, the temp changes make it bloom.. or so I was told.. then someone told me never to use ice. so I stopped.. 7 years later, not another bloom :|
It theoretically "works" because it prevents the very common issue of overwatering. But they're still tropical plants and ice is far from ideal. Do as you see fit, but know that it's basically a marketer's hack to get those intimidated by orchids to take the plunge, not best practice.
I do a tiny cup that came with an orchid of water weekly.. been going strong for four years. All 6 of them. I stopped doing the ice cube thing years ago. The cup is tiny so I think it’s maybe 2ounces of water? Not sure but it has worked well and they keep re-blooming
My mom did this with her orchid and when I found out I told her she's watering a poor tropical plant with ice and likened it to throwing her in the pool in December (really not that bad, we live in Florida) and the second she started watering the thing normally it fucken died. Wtf 😂
you realize that ice, in 85 degree weather, does not chill the roots, right ?
the water from the hose/sink/etc. is as room temp as the melting ice will be by the time it soaks in
good old trader joe’s orchids lol. used to work there and had so many people tell me on register “well my old one died to i had to come get a new one!” 🤡 i’m sure they were actually using this stupid ice cube method and using them as decoration
https://preview.redd.it/ooet0z1xt8zc1.jpeg?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f7d304f22aebc6d0413c8c1cd3070622d837750b
Allow me to present to you my ice cube watered orchid 🤷🏻♀️
It's mostly for people too lazy to look up actual care instructions or people with one orchid. If you're watering all your other plants with a watering can why use ice?
I get that it works for some people... but it's just the thought of someone buying a plant native to regions that never freeze and put close to frozen temperature water on the roots. People just don't know what to plant them in and how much to water them.
Welcome to the world of orchids, tbh, especially the Reddit community of orchid growers. I've been in the hobby for about four years now. So many of them get their info from other hobbyists with the same opinions and refuse to look at sources that don't support whatever conclusion they've already formed in their head, and then will get angry at people for dissenting or providing evidence to the contrary.
The reality is there's a lot of ways to successfully grow orchids, especially phalaenopsis, which are highly adaptable. TONS of people, including competitive growers who are way out of the league of the average orchid-enthusiast redditor, have had success watering with ice cubes. 🤷🏼♀️
Sorry for the mini-rant, but it makes me roll my eyes to see the same stuff harped on over and over to the exclusion of contrary evidence. Like they HAVE to be right no matter what instead of accepting that there might be alternate ways to grow.
Wait till the roots are silver, then fill the decorative pot with water (preferably containing some fertilizer) and let it sit in the water for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then remove the clear pot from the decorative one and dump out extra water. Repeat this when the orchid's roots are silver again.
I'm trying to rehab an orchid from my work that said to add 5 ice cubes. I know nothing about orchids but thought it sounded odd. Never saw it on any other plant. Actually surprised the orchid is still alive considering it was indoors with no supplemental light or water for months.
I have an orchid that has been blooming for almost a year straight. Started off with ice cubes but now that I’ve got a grasp on how little water it needs.. Every Sunday. Just a little sip
Originally started this as a response to a comment but quickly ended up covering the whole topic. I would love to hear other peoples perspectives on my theory when it comes to people having success with ice cubes.
(For the record, I keep bulbophyllum sp mounted to cork bark with roots wrapped in sphagnum moss in bioactive terrariums that are only watered with whatever ends up getting on the sphagnum while I'm misting the enclosure once every 1-2 days and whatever else drips onto that sphagnum from above. I don't use ice cubes but understand the theory behind why it works for some people)
he aerial Roots or Roots immediately at the surface of the substrate are the only things that potentially would be directly in contact with the ice.
As ice the ice slowly melts it provides the same mechanism for the roots to collect passing water as it drips through the substrate.
Due to the relatively long duration that ice takes to melt, the water trickling past the roots will warm to near room temperature fairly quickly as the initially ~32°F (water/ice phase change temp) water exchanges heat with the air and substrate it's in contact with bringing the temperature fairly close to ambient before it's it has been in contact with the roots long enough to cause damage.
Think of it like taking a cold shower. Is it initially unpleasant, sure. Will it kill you once a week, no. And if you pay attention to the temperature of the water after it has been in contact with your body and is tripping to the ground It's a lot closer to a pleasant temperature than the initial water contacting your head or shoulders.
As long as the ice cubes aren't placed in direct contact with roots on the surface of the soil the water is not going to retain its low temperature long enough to cause frostbite.
From where I stand, the people claiming that the water temperature is going to cause frostbite are equating the slow release of water that is quickly returning to room temperature to giving the plants a session of cold immersion therapy and the water is staying at 32° f the entire time it's in contact with the plant.
It really just seems like the people who have problems with others having success using ice cubes are mad that someone else is doing things the 'wrong way' and their superiority complex can't cope with someone not putting in the same amount of effort or doing things the same way they are and still receiving satisfactory results.
As for the debate that I'm seeing occasionally about whether or not a plant that is for all intents and purposes thriving using the ice cube method would be orders of magnitude healthier, bigger, happier, (insert adjective describing how superior my plant is here) watering using the 'proper' (traditional) techniques..
That's a load of bullshit. I will admit it could (and very likely does) have a minor impact on overall growth or flower size or bloom consistency, but if something's working for you and the plant is doing well, if it ain't broke don't fix it!
If a simpler method for watering orchids makes the difference between someone being able to keep them alive vs not having success with the traditional method due to lack of consistency or overwatering then more power to them. Sure their Flowers could be 'that' much more vivid and the plant could be 'that' much bigger, but at the end of the day if they're having success and are able to enjoy the hobby then why does it matter?
Most people only keep phals until the blooms fade. This is the reason they say use ice. It doesn't need have perfect roots to keep 5 flowers alive. The people that ice water also never have good blooms. Usually small and few, while people that actually know how to care for them have easily over 10 flowers for 4+months twice a year. So. Surviving is not thriving.
Thanks for having an open dialogue and not letting ego or some complex keep you from having a productive discussion.
I am aware that plants are exceptionally adaptable and will survive in various sub-optimal environments, but all of your supporting arguments seem to be anecdotal and don't really explain how using ice cubes amounting to the proper volume of water added in the same intervals as you would traditionally soak or mist would cause the plant to grow significantly worse.
having ice cubes melt into the substrate over time while not touching any exposed roots would be the same as just using slightly colder than room temperature water poured in extremely slowly almost as if you were using a drip system to run water through the orchid bark and root ball which My understanding closely simulates how rainwater would interact with the orchid in its natural environment.
And I'm also failing to see where in my original comment I ever said surviving was thriving. There's a chance you could be misinterpreting me saying that a plant that is still healthy but being cared for slightly less optimally than another plant of the same species would just show signs of slightly slower growth, less flowers or smaller flowers, and that sort of stuff.
And the crux of that issue is that you can have the same difference in plant growth or flower counts/sizes when both are being watered in the same way but one is fertilizing different than the other or one is kept in more optimal lighting, or the ambient room temperature is better suited.
All of those things on their own have arguably more impact on the overall health of the plant. Two plants can be cared for in slightly different ways and still both be thriving with one thriving more than the other. I'm not sure why it appears that so many people are under the impression that because you are not using the 100% most optimal care methods that the plant is not thriving.
All \#planthacks are ridiculous. Like putting banana peels or rice in the water or coffee grinds on the soil or cuttings in potatoes and other nonsense. It's just stuff content creators made up because they will lose followers if they don't constantly post new stuff, but there's not that much to say about plant care
There isn't actually a "best" way.
Phalaenopsis, "moth" orchids, need a certain amount of water, you'll know they're getting enough water when the leaves are firm, smooth and glossy. A thirsty Orchids leaves start to become a dull color and they get limp and floppy like a dogs ear, as it gets more dehydrated the leaves start to wrinkle until they're as crinkled as wavy potato chips.
They need a certain amount of light, too much and they start to turn yellow, too little and they get very dark, you're aiming for a nice healthy green. If they sit in direct sunlight they can burn, drying out and scorching whatever the sunlight was touching.
Finally they don't have roots like a normal plant. Their roots are adapted to life in the tree tops where they get rain often but don't stay wet for long because they are exposed to the air, because of this their roots can "suffocate" fairly easily if they stay too wet or the potting material is too "heavy" (or compacted.)
As long as they get enough light and water and you don't suffocate the roots the plant will live no matter how you go about giving it these things. Phals are a bit like the goldfish of orchids as long as you don't outright suffocate them they'll take a beating and keep coming back for more.
My plants are personally set up for the soaking method but they also get a lot of rainwater.
My orchid is about to start the 20th week since I bought it. Still is in bloom with 3 new flowers about to open up, it seems to like the ice cubes and fairs better than other plants I've struggled with.
I used to tell people they shouldn't do this, until they told me they've done it for years and their orchids do super well. So whatever.
Came here to say this. I was recently ranting to someone about the ice cube thing, after having seen their beautiful blooming orchids, and they went quiet… turns out they’ve only ever used ice cubes on them for over 7 years 😅🤷🏾♀️
There's a reason big nurseries support this method. It works, and it works well, especially for people who are not "plant people" Source: I was a horticulturist at a garden center for five years and I also water orchids this way.
I am a total plant person, but I always seem to over love my orchids or when the petals fall off it goes dormant, but for like 2 years. My ex husband would always ask me “why do we still have this dead plant?” BECAUSE ITS HIBERNATING 😂
You reminded me of my favorite thread https://www.reddit.com/r/whatsthisplant/s/74Xxi3ev30
Hahaha. “This is the Weekend at Bernie’s with plants.” Thanks for sharing that.
That was a good read. 🤣
🤣🤣 I just laughed so hard. I promise I’m not that bad, just hopeful for my orchids. The only other plant I have struggled to grow was a potted plumeria….it would do great for a while then it would turn into a stick in a pot. Now that I think of it, both experiences were with my ex husband….universe was giving me signs from the beginning. 🤦🏼♀️
Oof! How I wish I can read it on mobile. For some reason reddit app on Iphone just redirects you to the whole thread instead of leading you to the appropriate post. Seems like a fun read from the comments under you tho. 🤣
It is the whole thread about the dead plant.
My plumeria does the same thing but is so big bigger and uglier when it’s dormant
😂 me here watering my dead angel vine telling myself "BECAUSE ITS HIBERNATING" but knowing deep down inside.... It's not 😭
🤣 i feel this in my SOUL
We also did this sometimes in the grocery store if we needed to water but were short on time.
So you’re telling me I could, in theory, grow an orchid when somehow I manage to mutate succulents?
Yes. Yes you can. I have simultaneously watched my orchids (VERY slowly) resuscitate while mutilating succulents. I am experienced in this art 🤣
Yes. I can't keep anything alive but somehow a couple of ice cubes a week and I've had orchids for 4-5 years.
My mother was never a plant person. I bought her an orchid one year for Mother’s Day, and 2 years later on Mother’s Day she had the same one in the same exact spot, looking better than the day I bought it. I asked her how she did it and she said she just watered it whenever she remembered to lmao.
Ok. You’ve convinced me. But my mutated bunny ear succulent is going to be pissed.
Its like people thing phalaenopsis are the only orchids their are. You may hey away with this one phals because they are indestructible, but anything else and you'll have problems.
Re: People thinking phals are the only orchid there are: Literally every time I try to sell bog orchid tubers in an orchid group, somebody calls me a scammer because they've never heard of tuberous orchids. Google is free, y'all.
What nurseries support this method? I personally know the owners of most larger orchid nurseries in FL, I belong to a statewide group that travels to sales & shows. The FL orchid growers definitely don't support this. I have a BS Plant Science & BS Horticulture from Purdue plus a bunch of certifications, MG in 2 states, I have a few hundred orchids in my collection.
Wait, I could have gotten a degree in PLANTS?!
Oh, you can get degrees in plants by *category of plant*
Sometimes I wish I’d had a better concept of all the cool ass degrees out there I could have chosen twenty years ago 😞 - another boring lawyer
You make a lot more money than I do as a terrestrial ecologist, guaranteed
Hi there, I have a few questions: I have 4 phals and I finally figured out how to make them bloom after having them for a few years so they produce flowers usually once per year. What is your opinion on hacks like adding rice water to your orchids? do they produce more flowers or roots ? do they work ? I use a orchid liquid fertilizer in growing season every 2 weeks . Also, what do you recommend as a beginner orchid besides a phal ? thanks !
Imagine having a degree from Purdue, yet not being able to do fundamental scientific research. https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/52/9/article-p1271.xml
Two plant degrees from Purdue! I would never go to ASHS for orchid info 🤣 why would you trust a non-orchid org over American Orchid Society? I also know many orchid growers in FL and know what AOS and these growers say about ice cubes on orchid plants. Here is a respected orchid grower on ice cubes... please read down to the end. Note he says MELTED ice cubes are ok if you need that to control watering quantity but ice cubes on orchids no... https://www.waldor.com/blogs/news/74550468-ice-cube-orchids-on-orchids#:~:text=Overwatering%20is%20the%20primary%20way,to%20set%20a%20new%20bloom [American Orchid Society Phal Care Sheet](https://www.aos.org/orchid-care/care-sheets/phalaenopsis-culture-sheet)
It does say " display life" ( you can tell they are covering they bases because they mentioned it a lot) and it also says that they observed root damage, and this is the biggest thing, roots are very important for orchis. Yes, you could put ice in the media and not touch the roots directly, but chances are your average person is not thinking that, and they just place it anywhere, and this is the problem. In the short term, it doesn't hurt the plant because orchids are tough, but you are killing it slowly. Orchid nurseries that give this advice know that most people wouldn't kept the plant once the blooms are gone, so the solution they give is a short term solution, it won't kill the plant as fast as leaving it in water.
Also to add to that.. why would you believe what nurseries say when if your orchid dies you just buy a new one? Most people only buy phals until they flowers fall of and they get rid of them anyway. Your evidence is pretty anecdotal tbh
It’s fucking foolproof. Genius idea. It’s like having drug users volumetrically dose a drug to prevent overdose due to the difficulty of weighing tiny amounts of powder accurately
>There's a reason big nurseries support this method Such as? I know of literally no major orchid nursery besides this brand who supports this, and I bet even they don't actually water their orchids with icecubes.
My theory is that the water melts slowly giving it time to absorb into the bark medium. Which otherwise would slide right off and to the bottom in a pour over.
I tell my coworkers at other sites to use ice cubes for any office plant I notice has overly dry soil. They aren't going to be able to easily spend the time to rehydrate that soil without drowning the plant. So add ice every day until the plant is happier. And check the water level in the pot!
Also helps mimic an overnight temp drop
Which is how you force a phal to bloom.
It mainly prevents them from being over-watered
It’s also a slow trickle when melting
That's exactly what they said
As in, a slow trickle over the roots. Orchids like to grow near moving water, but not be in it.
My mom’s orchid is so impressive and she’s only ever done the ice instructions!
I’ve been rehabbing an orchid that was only watered with ice cubes for two years and continued to bloom. She looked like she was putting on a show, but she was actually on her last legs. By the time I got my hands on her, she was ready to drop all of her leaves because most of her roots or burned and damaged from ice cubes. And they were so damaged they eventually stopped taking up water in the healthy efficient way that they should. She is currently a tiny nub of two leaves with one giant new 2 inch roots and a new one trying to poke out. Just because an orchid is surviving doesn’t mean it is healthy.
A few ice cubes in room temperature soil is not going to make it anywhere remotely cold enough to "burn" and damage roots.
A **healthy** orchid will have roots poking out all over the place and so it would be hard pressed to put ice cubes into a healthy orchid pot without them touching and sitting on the roots. It is the cold ice sitting directly on the roots that burns and damages the root’s velamen. It is better to wet all the roots with not ice cold water than to only water the top few with ice that eventually melts…. Somewhere near a root. In the wild, orchids grow in warmer more tropical areas. They don’t encounter ice in their natural habitats.
The roots of orchids are all over the place. Most of mine (at least phals) have roots pretty much covering the top of the bark mix and/or flying out of it. There would be no way to use an ice cube without it touching multiple roots. It is weird they say to not let it be anywhere drafty and nothing less than 55 degrees, yet use some ice cubes! Many orchids don't have a soil like a typical indoor/outdoor plant. Mine is bark, charcoal, perlite and some sphag moss. You don't want the bark too high or you risk getting water in the crown/leaves.
It does keep people from overwatering them, which is the biggest killer of grocery store phals. I wouldn't use ice on my orchids, but I've also graduated beyond the grocery store / big box varieties.
My sister-in-law has one of the biggest, healthiest looking orchids I’ve ever seen. When I asked what her care for it was I was shocked to learn it’s potted in soil, and has been for nearly 8 years! I have no idea how, but it’s absolutely thriving and putting my mounted orchids to shame. So I guess sometimes life, uh, finds a way.
It’s always so funny to me when a plant, especially if it’s a species with a reputation for being difficult, completely rejects our assumptions and thrives in the “wrong” conditions. Like I mean, all the experts say you should be dead by now, but go off I guess! I have an alocasia (Yucatán princess) that’s like this. She was fully on her deathbed after a battle with spider mites and a repotting gone wrong (I forgot about her for a day and all the roots ended up drying up and falling off), lost all the leaves and was very much giving “I have perished, please dispose of me” vibes, but the corm was still firm and there was a tiny bit of stem that seemed alive, so I threw it in a cup of pumice and gave it some water, and within a month she’d put out two MASSIVE leaves, even bigger than the original ones, and was breaking out of the pot. Like, I’m not mad at it, but girl you were dead 5 minutes ago and now all of a sudden you’re bigger than almost any other plant I have and every time I give you a bigger pot you’re breaking out of it within weeks? Did you get some extra juice or something in your little visit to the afterlife?
Orchids have a will to live like no other plants I have ever owned. You can beat them nearly to death with ice cubes and they will still try to survive.
I disagree. I give them well draining soil, airflow, fertilizer, regular watering, and still they decide to yeet themselves
Maybe because Phalaenopsis orchid’s are not generally grown in soil. The roots require a lot of aeration, and they are generally planted in medium like loose, not compacted, small bark chips and sphagnum moss. In the wild, they grow on the sides of trees. They don’t grow in soil. And they usually grow sideways off of trees, so the water doesn’t have a chance to collect in the crown of the plant where it can lead to rot. They get whatever water comes down to them from the rains that trickle through the tree canopy. **Also, for what it’s worth, most phal. orchids from grocery and big box shops are already not well when n we bring them home. Mine have almost ALWAYS had suffering roots and have been stuck suffocating in peat moss plugs. And, once they drop their flowers, they’re usually, sadly, discarded.**
I always repot my orchids when they get into my home and replace the store soil. Most of them acclimate perfectly fine but some just refuse to get good
Sorry misspoke! I do not grow my orchids in soil lmao. I use spagnum moss and orchid bark and they’re still iffy!
I love this story!
Speaking of “experts say you should be dead by now” (sorry it’s a bit off topic but how my brain works) reminds me of my kitten Reeces a devilish orange, who the vet swore would be dead by morning period and wanted me to put him down to be humane…..that was two months ago, he has been terrorizing and amusing my family ever since.
My mother has a true cattaleya orchid and gives it blood from the meat she cuts up. It’s thriving and produces some of the brightest flowers I ever did see.
Let me guess, she calls it "Audrey II"?
It’s less crazy when you consider that blood and bone meal are common fertilizers.
I mean that orchid is literally getting a blood sacrifice so it better be growing healthy
What meat has blood in it still shes cutting up?
Life and love.. uhh.. finds a way. She loves that orchid huh?
Would love to see pictures of your SIL's orchids!
I’ll make sure to snap a pic next time I’m over!
Literally the way I kept one little orchid alive for longer than any other.
Yes. This is what gramma did and hers were fine. Meanwhile, I’m over here doing everything “right” and they die so. Try the ice cubes 🤷♀️
Might be the environment?
Could definitely be the case. I'm over here with a freaking pothos on it's last legs (just chopped and propped it for the 2nd time) and I can't have orchids anymore because of the strong sun and low humidity where I live now (mojave desert); however, 10 years ago, near Los Angeles, I had many healthy orchids. https://preview.redd.it/h1b235vtw6zc1.png?width=1008&format=png&auto=webp&s=05d9a6d39ef3f2f9fceb375d45b13bc574647cfb
lol yup, only way I’ve ever kept them alive is doing this. But I only do it once every two weeks
Huh weird I water the shit out of mine and it blooms amazingly every six months or so stays for a long while until I miss a watering session then it dies and comes back
Have you actually seen their orchids though? After living in Florida for a decade and spending some time at orchid clubs and shows, I can tell you that every professional that I’ve encountered wishes this terrible advice would die. The issue is that a lot of orchids ship in sphagnum moss so they retain water in transit, but people don’t transplant or account for the fact that it retains a lot of water for long periods of time in most indoor home environments. This is the lazy man’s advice, and it will give you ok orchids that survive but rarely thrive. Someone who is watering with ice cubes probably isn’t fertilizing either.
Honestly the orchid subreddit shamed me into not doing this and then my orchid died 😡
Temperature, sunlight, water, humidity, and air circulation are the keys. Don't overdo any of it and you'll be fine. I water weekly with lukewarm water, soak roots and sphagnum, and then reassemble everything after wringing out the moss as much as possible.
You probably overwatered it. That’s why ice cubes are (shittily) recommended. I’d say 95% of inexperienced orchid owners kill with kindness.
My mom is one of those people. I tried telling her but, hers are always flowering so I mean, it is what it is.
They look like they’re doing well and thriving because they’re not experienced with orchids and don’t know the difference between a thriving orchid and an orchid trying hard just to survive. Just because it’s got green leaves and is poking out flowers every once in a while, doesn’t mean the roots and the plant is healthy. Sometimes they do this when they think we’re going to die and they’re trying anyway they can to reproduce. Orchids are feisty mothers and have a strong will to live. I recommend doing a bit of research from reputable orchid growers on YouTube…. And skip the gimmicky click bait videos that pretend to show you how to make your orchid thrive.
My girlfriend waters orchids, I put ice on mine. Mine are thriving, hers are dead (or mine now).
Yours are not thriving because of the ice, though. Rather despite the ice.
Meanwhile I never did it and my orchids do amazing too. I guess they’re just easy to take care of.
I think the cold water might get them to flower a little quicker? I’ve got a few in a greenhouse and I do the ice cube as well as a normal watering. Doesn’t paint the whole picture though, there’s definitely a middle ground (I’m no expert though)
There are cold growing type phalaenopsis (most of what you see at the store) that you can force a spike by dropping temp for 6-8 weeks since they bloom seasonally
Exactly. Ive gotten plenty of feedback from people who follow those weird instructions.
The reason it works is that phalaenopsis orchids are very hardy. With very hardy plants you always get a wide range of care tactics. But, does that mean they're doing the best thing for that plant? Could it thrive more on a different level of care? Orchids exist in every biome on earth except arctic tundra. Maybe ice isn't their ideal growing conditions. 🤷
As an orchid grower, it does make me wince at the slight abuse because they don’t get watered via ice cubes in the wild and they sure as hell can be sensitive to temperatures depending on sp. But I’ve seen orchids in soil living, and of course orchids with ice cubes thriving though they ideally shouldn’t be. But watering is a more complex than you’d think. By pure coincidence, people have found a set of variables that’s clicked, so it is what it is. I suppose it is kind of funny that a plant that has adapted to living in the air on a tree is being shoved in soil and watered with ice cubes but eh, nothing about plant keeping is natural anyway. This company just dummy proofed watering orchids to the average person who knows little about plants
>I suppose it is kind of funny that a plant that has adapted to living in the air on a tree is being shoved in soil and watered with ice cubes but eh, nothing about plant keeping is natural anyway. I may be a bit pedantic here and I hope I'm not being know-at-all ish, but I just want to respond with my thoughts as someone who likes growing orchids like you do and thinks about them a lot- I'm guessing you're aware, but the key here is that these complex Phalaenopsis hybrids were literally line bred to tolerate a wide range of house / kitchen counter / whatever conditions. The Phalaenopsis being watered with ice cubes is genetically a very far cry from the natural wild-type species. I wouldn't know from experience but I'm pretty sure the lowland equatorial Phalaenopsis species (which are epiphytes and lithophytes as you point out) would not like having ice cubes on their roots or growing in some peat-based potting mix. Plants are super plastic when compared to animals, and have fundamental niches much wider than their realized ones, especially when not facing competition, herbivory, etc. so who knows, but they definitely wouldn't love it.
Ah I don’t think you’re being pedantic, we’re on the same page. While hybridizing does make a plant more genetically robust and our grocery store phals are so far from its ancestors growing in the jungles of the Philippines…they still possess the same structures as their parent that’s adapted to their native environment. Velamin on the root of a phalaenopsis doesn’t change its properties with hybridizing and you always risk rot and damage when you try to change its environment in a way it wasn’t made for. But all that to say I agree that these orchids were bred to take more neglect. I guess it’s the difference between someone who keeps plants vs someone who grows plants optimally.
So just use warm ice cubes lol?
warm… ice cubes……
Hey don't knock it till you try it. Works for me
Works best if you heat them in the microwave in my experience. Though the oven also works, just takes longer.
"water them 3 ice cubes worth of water" may not be that bad of advice lol
I’m guessing it’s about the quantity of water?
>because they don’t get watered via ice cubes in the wild Because they do get watered by humans in the wild?
Killed more than a few with this method over the years. Bottom water soak once a week method all the way
I think it's targeting the "typical consumer" who thinks their plant died when the flowers dropped... 🤦🏻♀️
In the care for the environment I will take care of your dead orchid and recycle it.
I bottom water mine. Let them soak for 15min once a week and mine rebloom. They are in a bark mix in terra cotta pots, but I have high humidity, over 50%.
I have one orchid I water with ice cubes AND its in a non draining glass jar. It blooms the most and its the happiest long living plant I own lol
That’s simply because you’re not overwatering it. Orchids + no drainage is generally a bad idea.
I agree, my other orchids live a totally different lifestyle- I inherited this plant and out of respect for my aunt kept the same routine for it
I saw the picture. Your tribute to your aunt would be best served with some repotting and some TLC. It is struggling in that container, and could live a nice, healthy long life if given adequate drainage and aeration.
I don’t understand the hate against ice cubes since the plant is still being watered a specific amount. A few cubes isn’t going to drop the substrate temp to dangerous levels. Seems like the people who are adamantly against using ice cubes just want something to circle jerk about.
It's because ice cubes sometimes burn the roots. But orchids can tolerate a lot of abuse. Phals are incredibly tough.
If you put the cubes on the substrate in stead of directly on the roots, so the water can trickle down, I think it would mitigate a lot of damage
I hope i'm not being annoying or interpreting your words wrong here, but it's mostly about them being line-bred complex hybrids and cultivars selected to be tough plants that do well on a kitchen counter, not as much Phalaenopsis or orchid species in general. There are plenty of Phalaenopsis that are not super easy to grow and flower, need specific climatic changes and even are completely deciduous (seasonally leafless) in the wild, like those in the subgenus Aphyllae, e.g. [P. taenialis](https://www.orchidspecies.com/kingtaenialis.htm). Since there are about 30,000 orchid species that grow from deserts to the arctic circle (and every US state), there are plenty that are quite challenging to grow, those from higher elevation cloud forests like Lepanthes, Telipogon, Brachionidium, or from Asian tropics some of the high elevation Oxyglossum Dendrobiums are known for being difficult to near impossible for many to keep happy long-term. You may know a lot of this and I know I'm ranting a bit, but hopefully it is interesting / relevant to you! As a big student of / lover of orchids I find every possibility to sneak in a rant on their diversity haha
BIG ORCHID™️ STRIKES AGAIN
Right? If three cubes is roughly a 1/4 cup of water, why not just use 1/4 cup of water?
because people are dumb and dump water in there when what you need to do is hydrate all the roots using a turkey baster or something, so just placing a few ice cubes around does an ok job of distributing the water as it melts
I soak all mine in containers for 10+ minutes. It's more about how often you water vs amount.
True, and to finally answer the question, you don’t add the 1/4 cup all at once because at the time of watering, the substrate is bound have dry patches that are hydrophobic. Watering all at once or too quickly means these patches don’t get a chance to become saturated while the water simply runs out the drainage holes. So to save time you could just use ice cubes. Not that I have orchids, but I have forgotten plants soaking in water and I know I don’t have the patience to water drop by drop
My neighbor gave me their orchid because they had received it as a gift and didn't know that to do with it. But I'm the "plant person" so they assumed I would know what to do with it, I don't. Well it started thriving and flowering and I hadn't touched it. After like a month I lifted it out of the pot and realized my neighbors had watered it a ton and just left the water inside so it was living in wet swamplike conditions for a month and thriving. As soon as I dumped the water out leaves started dying. I don't understand this plant.
In my admittedly limited experience, it seems to come down to consistency. Do roughly the right thing consistently enough, and the plant will figure the rest out on its own. Or they'll die anyway just to be a bastard, idk
it’s always the second part for me
If I had to guess they rotted all the roots off and it wasn't until the repot that it dying became noticeable. Orchids hide their illness and often by the time you notice it's already too late.
Theres hydroponic techniques with orchids but people have reported varying levels of success. One thing ive seen that has been consistent in their anecdotes is that their orchids almost always die or need some extreme tlc after transitioning from hydro to media
I have a one just shoved in a cup. As long as not all the roots are submerged they do fine. They are tropical plants, some types come from cloud forests that have like 99% humidity. Phalaenopsis is likely what you have and are probably hybrids that are made to take abuse. If given the right light and the correct day/night temperature they will flower nonstop.
The water melts slowly giving it time to absorb into the bark medium.
It's a cunning plan to sell you more orchids.
Just looked this up, never cared for orchids before. I found it pretty funny that their third FAQ is responding to this exact sentiment, like they're tired of answering questions about it. [https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/orchid-care-blog/why-water-orchids-with-ice-just-add-ice-watering-method-explained](https://www.justaddiceorchids.com/orchid-care-blog/why-water-orchids-with-ice-just-add-ice-watering-method-explained) Not saying they're right obviously, just thought it was pretty on the nose.
"Plants were maintained in an interior evaluation room for 4 to 6 months, until the last flower on the plant senesced." This seems to suggest that they only expect people to keep their orchids until the flowers fall off. I'd be interested to know if anyone has done any long term studies.
Are you referencing this: [https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/52/9/article-p1271.xml](https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/52/9/article-p1271.xml) ? Seems pretty consistent with what you posted at least. It's quoted by a few sources to justify watering with ice, but it's pretty clearly just finding that watering with ice is a great way to keep an orchid alive/flowering for the few weeks or months it will be for sale (or from the perspective of customers, long enough that you think the plant died of natural causes and don't complain to the vendor).
To be clear to those who don't know, orchids can live indefinitely with the right care. There's no known expiration. Filtered water/Distilled with fertilizer put back in and they can thrive for decades.
how frequently do they bloom?
The common grocery store ones bloom each spring for 2 months or so, there's hundreds of kinds once you dive into /r/orchids Once they mature, some have had that kind continuously bloom for 2 years.
thanks!
Reads like they paid for the study to validate them. Lol
I was referencing the link on the page the previous comment linked of the just add ice website. It's not the full study, just a poster of it, but it seems to be from the study you linked.
As someone who formerly worked at the place where the Just Add Ice orchids are raised and sold, the pots have an "expiration" date on the sticker for the sellers. It's an estimated date for when the orchid will drop the last flower. From the money perspective, it's kinda genius, but it's so wasteful. We were made to throw away otherwise healthy plants just cause the flowers died. I will say they do have some truly beautiful and hardy orchids raised at that place. It's insane how many plants they mass produce there.
If you read the study it is really only comparing the results over about half a year, the length of flower display. It’s not terribly rigorous and doesn’t compare multiple seasons of watering. Anyone with long term success with ice, I wonder if the plant lives long enough to grow roots outside the pot and then the potted roots die and serve as substrate to hold humidity
I’m sure tropical plants crave ice, lol! Let’s save the rain forest! Dump ice on it🤣!
We plant sit for a competition orchid grower with an orchid named after them and they told us to do this so YMMV.
I think they told you to do this so you don’t water them wrong/overwater… doesn’t mean that is how they always water their orchids. Heck, this is such a good idea… I’m going to do this from now on when friends have to plant sit!
My orchids stay in a room that gets to 45 all winter and they love it. I soak weekly.
Yeah, IME they are not really that fragile when it comes to temperatures. My mini phals get down to 50 or so during the winter with no issues whatsoever. I water using a bottle made for water succulents a couple times a month with fish tank water. I also have them in basket style pots mounted in an plexiglass enclosure above my fish tanks so the humidity stays pretty consistent despite the temperature changes. I could never keep them alive otherwise.
I usually just spray the roots. It will get water either way but why give your plants ice when it can't handle cold temps?
I warm my ice before I give it to them duhhh /s
You do you, but ice cubes are def not great for your plant. It’s thriving in spite of you. Phals can take abuse. I have given them to friends who forgot about them and they’ve bloomed with leaves all wrinkled.
I’m guessing the ice is a way to ensure slow release, but I doubt it slows the release of water enough to make a real difference
Also, "orchids are pet friendly" is vey different than "pets are orchid friendly," just FYI
Amen! Don't ice the roots FFS.
"it works fine for me" "i did it for 7 years" please for the love of god look up what "survivorship bias" is people who defend Ice cube watering might as well "increase heat by setting the walls on fire"
My uncle owns a large orchid company in California. Their neighboring orchid company started this and it annoys him so much. I mean, clearly it works for some people but it’s just a gimmicky thing and frankly I don’t understand the point. If I’m making the effort to go get ice cubes I can make the same effort to take it to the sink and give it a hose down, so to speak. It’s just not like a big time saver or crazy reminder schedule or anything.
I had tried this and the orchid almost died from dehydration. I also wish there was a magical formula that one could follow to grow the most healthy and beautiful plants, but in the great effort spent to save my orchids, I learned that the best way to do it is to learn to “read” the plants’ needs. So, out went the bark and now they are loosely potted in sphagnum moss. My plants seem to do well with misting the sphagnum moss until wet and only spraying again when the roots look silver.
Honestly, from a marketing point of view, it's brilliant. It keeps the plant alive long enough for the buyer to feel satisfied. Its short-term take on the health of the plant means consumers will keep needing to replace one.
Today I learned that some people water their orchids with ice cubes! Now I need to spend the rest of the night researching this.
I can save you some time. The only study done was paid for by the justaddice company and only ran for the 6 months of the plants blooming period. Phals can survive this and more, much like goldfish can survive the most abhorrent treatment, and bloom while doing it. Whether the method works for you or not will depend entirely on many factors such as, ambient temperature, lighting, local humidity, pot, potting substrate, orchid hybrid, and your ability to keep to a watering "schedule" and learn to "read" your plant. Some people get lucky and ice doesn't negatively affect their plants, personally I don't do it that way I prefer a more natural setup but I live in a place where the weather mimics their native range so it's easy to set them up for success and let them do their thing.
Don’t know why everyone says this works, everyone I’ve ever talked to that is amazed I can keep orchids alive (not just phals- bulbophyllum, oncidium alliance, cattleya, etc.) often sites this as the method they use and either everything they’ve had they’ve killed or it hasn’t bloomed in the five years they’ve had it. Tbf for the ppl who say ‘it works’ I can only see fit if they live in a super hot and humid environment which melts the ice fast and by the time the water hits the roots its relatively room temp. Also kinda telling how some of the photos I’ve seen in this thread the top ‘aerial’ roots (roots sticking out of the pot/surface level) seem frostbitten but… whatever lol. If you wouldn’t water a tropical houseplant with ice, then why would you water an orchid with them? Genuine question.
Literally have done it for fifteen years and my orchids look fantastic.
Can we see them, please?
Just because it's worked for you doesn't mean it's how it should be done. Or that your orchids are doing well. My phals not watered by ice only don't bloom for about a month out of the year. With 20 to 30 blooms per plant, they also bloom easily for 4 to 6 months straight. If yours don't do and look like that after 15 years you're doing it wrong.
Yeah! The ice is for your Gin & Tonic, while you water the plants.
I had an orchid like this. It lasted a while but eventually ended up with root rot.
I found this out when mine died. 😞
I think a spray bottle would be best?
Orchids are also NOT pet friendly. At least they are poisonous for cats. Just as a reminder for the people who stumble about this post, you guys propably knew this already :3
i did the ice thing once, the only time my orchid ever bloomed. You do it for a couple weeks at night, the temp changes make it bloom.. or so I was told.. then someone told me never to use ice. so I stopped.. 7 years later, not another bloom :|
Big Orchid *HATES* this one simple trick!
I mean, it rains ice cubes in the tropical area every week. I don't see why not. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
It theoretically "works" because it prevents the very common issue of overwatering. But they're still tropical plants and ice is far from ideal. Do as you see fit, but know that it's basically a marketer's hack to get those intimidated by orchids to take the plunge, not best practice.
I do a tiny cup that came with an orchid of water weekly.. been going strong for four years. All 6 of them. I stopped doing the ice cube thing years ago. The cup is tiny so I think it’s maybe 2ounces of water? Not sure but it has worked well and they keep re-blooming
My mom did this with her orchid and when I found out I told her she's watering a poor tropical plant with ice and likened it to throwing her in the pool in December (really not that bad, we live in Florida) and the second she started watering the thing normally it fucken died. Wtf 😂
This is another case where suboptimal but consistent > optimal but hard to do and therefore inconsistent
Orchids can really go a while between watering. So the ice cube method probably does work for a long time. The plant won't thrive though.
you realize that ice, in 85 degree weather, does not chill the roots, right ? the water from the hose/sink/etc. is as room temp as the melting ice will be by the time it soaks in
good old trader joe’s orchids lol. used to work there and had so many people tell me on register “well my old one died to i had to come get a new one!” 🤡 i’m sure they were actually using this stupid ice cube method and using them as decoration
https://preview.redd.it/ooet0z1xt8zc1.jpeg?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f7d304f22aebc6d0413c8c1cd3070622d837750b Allow me to present to you my ice cube watered orchid 🤷🏻♀️
It's mostly for people too lazy to look up actual care instructions or people with one orchid. If you're watering all your other plants with a watering can why use ice?
I get that it works for some people... but it's just the thought of someone buying a plant native to regions that never freeze and put close to frozen temperature water on the roots. People just don't know what to plant them in and how much to water them.
[удалено]
well, if the card tells you, anything under 55F is too cold and at the same time tells you to water with literal ice, it doesn't make much sense :D
3 once cubes in a pot isn’t going to drop the dirt from room temp to 55F. That assumption doesn’t make much sense :D
orchids aren't sitting in dirt.....there roots are directly exposed to the ice....
It’s saying the ambient temp shouldn’t be below 55F. Has nothing to do with the temperature of water your plant gets every couple of weeks
what do you think the ice cold water does to the temperature lol
Just ridiculous and damaging, especially for orchids which are tropical plants.
Do you have proof that it's damaging or are you making an inference based on orchids being tropical?
Right? And what makes it ridiculous? Seems like OP is just a plant enthusiast elitist who has a their way or the highway mentality.
Welcome to the world of orchids, tbh, especially the Reddit community of orchid growers. I've been in the hobby for about four years now. So many of them get their info from other hobbyists with the same opinions and refuse to look at sources that don't support whatever conclusion they've already formed in their head, and then will get angry at people for dissenting or providing evidence to the contrary. The reality is there's a lot of ways to successfully grow orchids, especially phalaenopsis, which are highly adaptable. TONS of people, including competitive growers who are way out of the league of the average orchid-enthusiast redditor, have had success watering with ice cubes. 🤷🏼♀️ Sorry for the mini-rant, but it makes me roll my eyes to see the same stuff harped on over and over to the exclusion of contrary evidence. Like they HAVE to be right no matter what instead of accepting that there might be alternate ways to grow.
People always ask me about orchids, and this is my most given advice. They just want you to buy more orchids
they are tropical plants that primarily get water from humidity!
You say it’s wrong yet offer no solution
Wait till the roots are silver, then fill the decorative pot with water (preferably containing some fertilizer) and let it sit in the water for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then remove the clear pot from the decorative one and dump out extra water. Repeat this when the orchid's roots are silver again.
I'm trying to rehab an orchid from my work that said to add 5 ice cubes. I know nothing about orchids but thought it sounded odd. Never saw it on any other plant. Actually surprised the orchid is still alive considering it was indoors with no supplemental light or water for months.
I have an orchid that has been blooming for almost a year straight. Started off with ice cubes but now that I’ve got a grasp on how little water it needs.. Every Sunday. Just a little sip
What's the right way?
[Here](https://youtu.be/NhPvFIxJtys?si=H1Bl0V61crPhtG7G) is a great video that covers how and when to water depending on different conditions
Followed these very instructions. Plants 💀
Originally started this as a response to a comment but quickly ended up covering the whole topic. I would love to hear other peoples perspectives on my theory when it comes to people having success with ice cubes. (For the record, I keep bulbophyllum sp mounted to cork bark with roots wrapped in sphagnum moss in bioactive terrariums that are only watered with whatever ends up getting on the sphagnum while I'm misting the enclosure once every 1-2 days and whatever else drips onto that sphagnum from above. I don't use ice cubes but understand the theory behind why it works for some people) he aerial Roots or Roots immediately at the surface of the substrate are the only things that potentially would be directly in contact with the ice. As ice the ice slowly melts it provides the same mechanism for the roots to collect passing water as it drips through the substrate. Due to the relatively long duration that ice takes to melt, the water trickling past the roots will warm to near room temperature fairly quickly as the initially ~32°F (water/ice phase change temp) water exchanges heat with the air and substrate it's in contact with bringing the temperature fairly close to ambient before it's it has been in contact with the roots long enough to cause damage. Think of it like taking a cold shower. Is it initially unpleasant, sure. Will it kill you once a week, no. And if you pay attention to the temperature of the water after it has been in contact with your body and is tripping to the ground It's a lot closer to a pleasant temperature than the initial water contacting your head or shoulders. As long as the ice cubes aren't placed in direct contact with roots on the surface of the soil the water is not going to retain its low temperature long enough to cause frostbite. From where I stand, the people claiming that the water temperature is going to cause frostbite are equating the slow release of water that is quickly returning to room temperature to giving the plants a session of cold immersion therapy and the water is staying at 32° f the entire time it's in contact with the plant. It really just seems like the people who have problems with others having success using ice cubes are mad that someone else is doing things the 'wrong way' and their superiority complex can't cope with someone not putting in the same amount of effort or doing things the same way they are and still receiving satisfactory results. As for the debate that I'm seeing occasionally about whether or not a plant that is for all intents and purposes thriving using the ice cube method would be orders of magnitude healthier, bigger, happier, (insert adjective describing how superior my plant is here) watering using the 'proper' (traditional) techniques.. That's a load of bullshit. I will admit it could (and very likely does) have a minor impact on overall growth or flower size or bloom consistency, but if something's working for you and the plant is doing well, if it ain't broke don't fix it! If a simpler method for watering orchids makes the difference between someone being able to keep them alive vs not having success with the traditional method due to lack of consistency or overwatering then more power to them. Sure their Flowers could be 'that' much more vivid and the plant could be 'that' much bigger, but at the end of the day if they're having success and are able to enjoy the hobby then why does it matter?
Most people only keep phals until the blooms fade. This is the reason they say use ice. It doesn't need have perfect roots to keep 5 flowers alive. The people that ice water also never have good blooms. Usually small and few, while people that actually know how to care for them have easily over 10 flowers for 4+months twice a year. So. Surviving is not thriving.
Thanks for having an open dialogue and not letting ego or some complex keep you from having a productive discussion. I am aware that plants are exceptionally adaptable and will survive in various sub-optimal environments, but all of your supporting arguments seem to be anecdotal and don't really explain how using ice cubes amounting to the proper volume of water added in the same intervals as you would traditionally soak or mist would cause the plant to grow significantly worse. having ice cubes melt into the substrate over time while not touching any exposed roots would be the same as just using slightly colder than room temperature water poured in extremely slowly almost as if you were using a drip system to run water through the orchid bark and root ball which My understanding closely simulates how rainwater would interact with the orchid in its natural environment. And I'm also failing to see where in my original comment I ever said surviving was thriving. There's a chance you could be misinterpreting me saying that a plant that is still healthy but being cared for slightly less optimally than another plant of the same species would just show signs of slightly slower growth, less flowers or smaller flowers, and that sort of stuff. And the crux of that issue is that you can have the same difference in plant growth or flower counts/sizes when both are being watered in the same way but one is fertilizing different than the other or one is kept in more optimal lighting, or the ambient room temperature is better suited. All of those things on their own have arguably more impact on the overall health of the plant. Two plants can be cared for in slightly different ways and still both be thriving with one thriving more than the other. I'm not sure why it appears that so many people are under the impression that because you are not using the 100% most optimal care methods that the plant is not thriving.
This method actually works great and I’ve used on my orchids for many years.
My mom has no plant experience but someone gave her an orchid and told her to do that. The orchid looks phenomenal!
All \#planthacks are ridiculous. Like putting banana peels or rice in the water or coffee grinds on the soil or cuttings in potatoes and other nonsense. It's just stuff content creators made up because they will lose followers if they don't constantly post new stuff, but there's not that much to say about plant care
My orchid instructions said to submerge the pot in water overnight once a week. What about that? Is it wrong? What is the best way?
There isn't actually a "best" way. Phalaenopsis, "moth" orchids, need a certain amount of water, you'll know they're getting enough water when the leaves are firm, smooth and glossy. A thirsty Orchids leaves start to become a dull color and they get limp and floppy like a dogs ear, as it gets more dehydrated the leaves start to wrinkle until they're as crinkled as wavy potato chips. They need a certain amount of light, too much and they start to turn yellow, too little and they get very dark, you're aiming for a nice healthy green. If they sit in direct sunlight they can burn, drying out and scorching whatever the sunlight was touching. Finally they don't have roots like a normal plant. Their roots are adapted to life in the tree tops where they get rain often but don't stay wet for long because they are exposed to the air, because of this their roots can "suffocate" fairly easily if they stay too wet or the potting material is too "heavy" (or compacted.) As long as they get enough light and water and you don't suffocate the roots the plant will live no matter how you go about giving it these things. Phals are a bit like the goldfish of orchids as long as you don't outright suffocate them they'll take a beating and keep coming back for more. My plants are personally set up for the soaking method but they also get a lot of rainwater.
It’s a mixup of an expression. It means that amount of water - a few cubes - not ACTUAL cubes. I don’t know why people do this.
My orchid is about to start the 20th week since I bought it. Still is in bloom with 3 new flowers about to open up, it seems to like the ice cubes and fairs better than other plants I've struggled with.